What it's about: Middle-schooler T'Shawn's excitement about his new position on the local diving team is dampened by the return of his brother, Lamont, who's been in prison. T'Shawn's not sure he can trust Lamont any more...much less forgive him.

Is it for you? If you like honest, all-too-realistic stories, Courage might be the book for you -- sports and family are far from the only things T'Shawn is dealing with.

Welcome to: Nowhere, Arizona, a sad, boring town where nothing ever happens...until the day that five kids -- including dirtbike racer Rossi, brainy Gus, and obnoxious bully Bo -- venture into the Dead Frenchman Mine in search of legendary gold.

What's inside: a vivid setting and touches of humor, as well as cave-ins, bat guano, mountain lion encounters, and unexpected friendships forged in shared danger.

What it's about: Alex is on his way to destroy his notebooks full of horror stories when he suddenly finds himself inside one: he's held captive by a fearsome witch who demands that he tell her a terrifying tale every night.

Reviewers say: "Readers who prefer their magic dark will be spellbound" (Booklist).

Try this next: For books with a similar feel but a more hair-raising edge, try Tom McNeal's Far Far Away or Adam Gidwitz's Grimm series.

What it's about: After his Uncle Charlie's death, seventh-grader Tony is comforted by appearances from Charlie's ghost -- after all, the two of them shared an interest in the supernatural. Less comforting is Tony's new school, where students go missing, spirits haunt secret passageways, and no one is what they seem.

Is it for you? Pairing a suspenseful plot with otherworldly chills, School of the Dead is just creepy enough to satisfy fans of mystery and horror alike.

What it's about: They say that Old Auntie roams the woods with her man-eating razorback hog, Bloody Bones. They say that every 50 years, she kidnaps another girl. They say lots of things, but Daniel doesn't believe them -- not until his sister starts talking to her doll and claiming that a voice is calling her name.

Why you might like it: Told in the style of a classic ghost story, Took is perfect for reading under the covers with a flashlight.

What happens:Olive discovers Maudeville, an otherworldly old theater where she's given a chance to shine. Yet as Olive grows closer to her eccentric castmates and she learns about the theater's history, she begins to suspect that their opening night might be her last.

Who it's for: theater kids, as well as readers who like their mysteries well-paced and only slightly spooky.

What it is: an eerie, captivating blend of words and art that pulls you into the lives of two girls who lived decades apart.

What happens: In 1982, mute orphan Mary plans her revenge on the bullies at the Thornhill Institute for Children, while in 2017, lonely Ella sees a girl wandering the grounds of the abandoned Institute. Then Ella finds Mary's diaries, and their stories collide.

For fans of: the layered storytelling of Brian Selznick or Ransom Riggs.